I’ve been asked at least a half-dozen times today how I feel after yesterday’s election and, truth be told, I’m not feeling the way I thought I would. I thought I would be angry when Trump got elected, scared even, but I’m not. I was shocked and saddened at first and then a sense of calm settled over me with a feeling that everything really is going to be alright… not in that naïve bubble-gummy kind of way, not at all. This comes from a place deep within, that place that is connected to the Source of all that is and which connects me to every other being on this planet. We are all going to be ok.

Yes, it’s no secret that I voted against Trump. The thought of someone like Trump running our country gave me a stomach ache and more than a few sleepless nights. When I woke this morning to realize that he was elected as President of the United States I realized I had to ‘walk my talk’. I thought back to a recent article I wrote and I asked myself, “now what?” Now that all is said and done, and Trump is going to be the next president, where do we go from here? I believe that we, as a country, are being presented with an opportunity to ‘walk our talk’. So many people talk about love, unity, democracy, respect, and healing the nation and they’re great until shit gets real then the fear and doubt creeps in turning their hearts dark. Well, true change happens in times like these. Sometimes it takes a major shake-up like this election to wake people up. Now is the time to put your money where your mouth is and move forward with love and compassion. Now is when you get to choose who you are and where you stand.

Someone asked me how I can be so calm when the world is falling apart. I told them that I’m calm because Trump’s character, and his behavior, will not dictate the kind of person I choose to be in my daily life. His character does not reflect my own. I still get to choose, in every minute of every day, how I live my life and how I choose to treat the people around me. And so, I choose more compassion, more love, deeper understanding, and more unity… not less… more. I also refuse to get caught up in the “sky is falling” mentality of some people. There’s no point in caving to panic and chaos, it only feeds the already fat beast of negativity and fear that stalks this country. Our current situation reminds me of the old Cherokee Parable of ‘Two Wolves’…

The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.

This same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather,

“Which wolf will win?”

The old chief simply replied,

“The one you feed.”

I choose to feed the “good” wolf.

In talking with a dear friend this morning, I realized that Trump held up a giant mirror which reflected back to us our darkest shadows, all of the deep dark secrets we, as a nation, wanted to hide or deny still exist… racism, sexism, misogyny, elitism, etc. These are all things that most us knew still existed but thought it was only in small pockets of the population. I don’t think we realized, or wanted to acknowledge, how deep those pockets actually are. In counseling and spiritual circles, people talk a lot about ‘shadow work’ and the importance of recognizing and integrating the ‘shadow’ parts of ourselves. Well, Trump had no problem showing us his shadow and reflecting this nation’s own shadow back to us. We can no longer hide from the deep wounds of this nation. The people of this country elected a man into office who represents much of what we say we hate, so what does that mean for us as a country? Now what?

As we move forward I strongly believe we need to do so together. We need to work together to understand one another on a deeper level, to understand where and why these wounds still exist and then find ways to heal them… together. No matter who our president is, we get to choose the kind of people we are. We, the people, define this nation. We, the people, are wonderful, big-hearted, loving, kind, generous, determined, and resilient. Many of us are also scared of what Trump’s presidency means for much of the population and relations with other nations. There is much that we, as individuals, do not have control over, but there is also something very powerful that we do control… how we treat one another and ourselves.

Please take this entire experience to heart and grow from it. Choose to let love, not fear, dictate how you live your day-to-day lives. Choose to treat one another with respect and kindness regardless of who you voted for. Choose hope over despair and know that we are a strong nation of good people. We are not perfect, not by a longshot, but we are “good”. For all the hate, anger, frustration, and terror we see happening around us we must not lose sight of the fact that the majority of the people want nothing more than peace and a better world for us all.

So now I sit and wait to see how this all unfolds. I hold hope in my heart that we will rise together and change this nation for the better. Now that a spotlight has been shined on the dark places we can see them more clearly, and we can begin to do some real healing. We cannot change who Trump is, but we can choose how we represent this nation. The world is watching, there is no doubt. Let us come together and show them our true colors and just how resilient we are.

Do a good job Mr. Trump! Do right by the people of this great nation!

Blessings and Love to you all.

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About shinestudios.ny

SHINE = Sharing Hope, Inspiration, and New Experiences.
Using a combination of mentoring (coaching), counseling, and empowerment through creative expression, I provide a safe place where people can heal and reconnect with their purpose, renew their passion for life, and create harmony between their mind, body, and Soul.
SHINE was founded by me, Tanya Tiger, on November 03, 2014. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over a decade of hands-on experience working with people of all ages and from all walks of life. I am also a writer, artist, and ordained Interfaith Minister.
My passion for mentoring and advocating was rekindled after the death of my youngest daughter in 2014, and my life was turned upside down. Creativity had always been an outlet for me and so I chose to take the indescribable pain of my loss and create something beautiful.
Love, and rekindling joy through creativity, became my mission. In honor of my two daughters, SHINE was born. SHINE is the manifestation of the Love, Hope, and Faith I hold in my heart for everyone with whom I connect.
You can find my writings here, on this blog, as well as at The Urban Howl (http://theurbanhowl.com/) and The Tattooed Buddha (thetattooedbuddha.com/).
My Etsy shop is located at https://www.etsy.com/shop/ClaybeesDesigns
I am also proudly partnered with Soul Journeys (http://www.journeyforlove.com/).